


Every Damn Day

by MusicalLuna



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Aunt Peggy Carter, Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Established Relationship, Fluff, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, M/M, Peggy Carter Feels, Protective Steve Rogers, Punching, Quasi-Complete, Reunion, Steve Rogers Feels, Time Travel, Time Travel Purely For the Feels, Tony Stark Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-26
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-23 22:59:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9685880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalLuna/pseuds/MusicalLuna
Summary: The longer his relationship with Tony has gone on, the more Steve wishes he'd gotten the chance to sock Howard Stark in the nose.He finally gets his chance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> theappleppielifestyle
> 
> #there needs to be more fic where steve punches howard #idc how #time travel or an au or whatever
> 
> ask and ye shall receive

It’s been fifteen years since Steve came out of the ice, and nearly ten since he’d gotten the nerve to ask Tony on a date.

They’ve been through a lot together. The only person who knows him better than Tony at this point is Bucky.

Steve likes to think he knows Tony just as well.

One of the things he’s learned a lot about is Howard’s parenting, and he may have liked the guy during the war, but with time, and every word out of Tony’s mouth, his memories and his opinion have soured. He carries a lot of anger about the way Howard treated Tony, and the endless repercussions of it. Every _day_ it affects Tony.

So when the Avengers are thrown back in time and find themselves greeted by the stunned faces of Peggy, the Commandos, and Howard himself, it’s not Peggy Steve goes to first.

She watches, open-mouthed as he barrels straight past her, through the Commandos to the back corner where Howard is just looking up, pushing a pair of protective goggles onto his forehead with a little frown. He can hear Sam and Clint saying his name, confusion in their voices, and Tony saying, “Wait, is that—”

Howard’s eyes go wide in surprise. “Steve Rogers,” he says, “is that really you? God, you look ol—”

“ _You_ ,” Steve snarls, and pulls his fist back.

At the last second he realizes what he’s doing and pulls the punch just enough so he’s probably not broken Howard’s jaw. He crumples to the floor clutching his face amidst the sound of everyone in the room shouting in surprise. Steve reaches down and hauls Howard up by the front of his shirt, all that anger, all that rage he’s had to brush aside for so long bubbling up with a roar. “You son of a bitch,” he hisses. “You spent all your god-damned energy on me instead of your _god-damned son_ , what the _hell_ is wrong with you? How could you do that to him? How could you not _see—”_

Someone grabs him and drags him away from Howard, Bucky’s metal hand prying his hands free of Howard’s shirt. They don’t stop pulling on him until they’ve hauled him outside and the snap of cold air brings Steve back to himself a little. He’s shaking, heart pounding like a rock against his chest. “Let me go,” he snaps, jerking at their hold. “ _Let me go!_ ”

They do, and he staggers forward. He catches himself and starts pacing, needing to expend the surge of energy somehow. He can feel Thor and Bucky—they’re the ones who dragged him out, he can see at least that clearly now—watching him. He tears the cowl off and digs his fingers through his hair, violently enough that he feels the sharp prick of hairs being pulled out.

Then he sees Tony, the faceplate retracted to reveal the utterly bewildered expression on his face. “Steve—what…what the hell was that?”

All the anger fizzles out and Steve slumps, one hand coming up to cover his face in embarrassment. “Shit,” he says. “Shit, Tony, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I—I lost it.”

“Well, yeah,” Tony says, still sounding flabbergasted, “I saw. But _why?_ I thought you—” His throat clicks. “I thought you got along with him.”

“I did,” Steve says. “I did. Before I knew—” Three brisk strides bring him to Tony, and he lifts his hands, cups Tony’s face, the fierceness of his love like a tangible thing, sharp inside him. “What he did to you was inexcusable.”

Tony blushes and his eyes dart to the sides before dropping down between their bodies, his hands curling and uncurling. “Well, he’s not gonna win any Dad of the Year awards or anything, but…”

“You deserved better,” Steve insists.

Tony peeks up at him through his eyelashes. “Hey, I got you out of the deal, I don’t think I did too shabby.”

Steve kisses him, very gently. “You should have had it all.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked:
> 
> like. the reactions of peggy, howard, and the commandos to both steve punching the shit out of howard and coming from the future. i assumed it took place after the end of cap1, since past!steve and bucky weren't there, so it would be heartbreaking and fantastic to see everyone's reactions to getting to see him again. and to bucky's arm. and to TONY, oh my god HOWARD HAS A KID, WHAT THE SHIT. and nat and peggy being bros.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELP this is a great idea and i didn’t even get to the commandos, not to mention what onemuseleft mentioned so i guess there might even be more than this coming???

“Steve?”Peggy breathes from behind him, her voice wavering faintly, and Steve pulls away from Tony, his heart turning over in his chest.

She’s standing in the doorway they just came out of, the cold winter air blowing strands of hair across her face. Her eyes shift to Tony for the barest moment before returning to Steve’s face, bright with tears. She’s both younger and older than she was when Steve has known her, but every bit as beautiful.

And he’s as in love with her as he ever was.

“Hi, Peggy,” he says, voice hoarse and catching in his throat.

She covers her mouth, tears bubbling up and over. “Oh, darling, it’s been so _long.”_

“I know,” he says, “I know, I’m sorry, Peggy. I didn’t mean to make you wait.”

Peggy smiles tremulously back at him and says, “Well, you never were on time, I don’t know why I expected anything less.”

He laughs unsteadily, itching to go to her. A gauntleted hand nudges his elbow and he looks back, guilt sliding through him like molasses.

“Go on,” Tony says, voice low and his eyes serious. “It’s okay. You both deserve this.”

Steve searches his face, hunting for any indication that this isn’t okay, that Tony doesn’t want him to go, but his expression is soft and understanding. He squeezes Tony’s hand, even though he won’t really be able to feel it through the gauntlets, too grateful for words.

“Go,” Tony urges.

When he turns back around, Peggy’s a few paces closer and he closes the gap. At the last second he loses his nerve and it’s Peggy who bridges the final distance, her arms looping around his neck, pulling him down and close. “I’ve missed you,” she breathes fervently into the side of his head and he clutches her tight.

“Yeah, Peggy,” he rasps, “me too.”

For a long moment they simply stand there, clinging to one another and Steve soaks in the way she smells, how healthy she sounds.

Then she leans back, brushing the hair back off his forehead, and her eyes rove over his face, drinking it in the same way he does hers. Her expression shifts to surprise.

“You look older than I remember.” She smiles a little wobbly. “You’ve started to go a bit gray. I didn’t know you could.”

Steve smiles at the ground and admits, “Neither did I. Apparently the serum doesn’t stop that.”

“How marvelous,” Peggy says, and laughs. It’s incredible to hear that again. “I suppose how all this came to be is quite a long story.”

Steve sighs. “Is it ever.”

She smiles again, fingers brushing tenderly over his jaw. “I won’t make you tell it then.” Her eyes go past his shoulder and she says, “I see you’ve found someone else.”

For a second, Steve feels a pang of fear, not wanting her to think she’s so easily replaced, but then he remembers that she’s been married to Gabe for almost a decade at this point. “Yeah,” he says, and looks back at Tony, too, who fidgets nervously under their combined gaze. “This is—”

Peggy’s eyes go wide and she releases him, moves quickly to stand in front of Tony, her hands coming up to cup his face. “Tony, darling, oh my god. Is that you?”

He in turn looks startled, and pleased. “Ah, yeah. Hi, Aunt Peg.”

She presses back to look him up and down from head to toe and then says, “Oh, you’ve grown up so _well.”_ Tony flushes pink, clearly at a loss for what to do with that. Then Peggy looks back at Steve and at Tony again and says, “And you two are together. Goodness, it must be some story.”

She finally looks around at everyone else and when her eyes land on Bucky her eyes go wide again. “ _James._ ”

Bucky smiles awkwardly and waves a couple of fingers. “Hiya, Peg.”

She spots the arm and her expression crumples. “My god, what did they do to you?”

Bucky shifts. “’Nother long story.”

Peggy looks at them all again, taking in Tony’s armor and his age and Thor’s armor, Bucky’s arm and the gray in both his and Steve’s hair. “Where on earth have you come from?” she asks.

“Fifty years, give or take a few,” Tony says, and then gestures between Steve and himself. “You really don’t care that—”

Peggy gives him a look that shuts him right up and Steve grins like an idiot. She looks at Steve. “How on earth did you get to 2027?” Then she waves her hand. “Never mind, long story, I know.”

“I’ve missed you like hell, Peggy,” Steve says and her replying look is fond and sad.

“And I you.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there’s not as much commandos as i really meant, but i kind of have no idea how to write them oops

“Well, I”ll be damned.” A voice echoes out of the doorway and Steve’s grinning before he’s even turned around.

“Dum-dum.”

Dum-dum grins back at him, as rosy-cheeked and cheerful as ever, though there’s gray in his mustache. “Captain Goddamn America, so Howard was right to keep looking for you all these years. I thought he was nuts.”

“I don’t know that this disqualifies him,” Peggy says. She curls her hand around Steve’s arm and looks up at him. “Can you stay? Just for a bit.”

Steve glances back at Tony who shrugs. “Yeah, we’ve got time.”

Peggy beams. “Come on, then. It’s cold out, we’ll catch our deaths. James, Tony, come along. She cranes her neck to look at Thor, still standing next to Bucky, and says, “I’m sorry, we haven’t met.” She holds her hand out behind Steve’s back. “I’m Peggy Carter.”

Thor clasps her hand and shakes it, smile warm. “Thor, Son of Odin. I have heard much about you, Peggy Carter.”

Peggy pulls back to look at him and Steve feels a blush race up the back of his neck. “Oh, you have, have you?”

Before he can reply, he’s being dragged away by Dum-Dum and then he’s surrounded by the Commandos.

“Time travel, huh?”

“Look, and he’s going gray, how fantastic,” Falsworth says, prodding at the side of Steve's head where his gray hairs are.

“Jesus, Sarge,” Dernier says, “that’s not a fashion statement is it? What the hell happened?”

“Hydra,” Bucky replies and there’s dead quiet for a second. Falsworth crosses himself.

“Bloody Hydra,” he mutters.

“So we didn’t get rid of ‘em,” Dum-Dum says, and sighs. “Damn. Should have known it was too good to be true.”

“Can’t believe Howard was right about you being out there, Cap, he’s going to be insufferable,” Gabe says. Then he glances at Peggy and says, “Did you, uh, tell him?”

Steve smirks. “I know all about you and Peg, Gabe.”

“And he’s very happy for us, aren’t you, Steve?” Peggy says, giving him a look that he remembers all too well. He doesn’t need the prompting though. He smiles.

“I’m happy for you. Honest.”

Gabe looks relieved in spite of himself.

“It would be awfully hypocritical of him to be angry, seeing as he’s stepping out with Howard’s son.”

Steve feels his face explode with heat as the Commandos all start exclaiming at once, shouting incredulously. Tony gets hauled forward by Dum-Dum and Morita and then they’re exclaiming over him, too, things like, _shit, this is what the little munchkin turns into; baby stark, my god that’s weird;_ and _wait, wait YOU AND HOWARD’S BOY?_

“You and…my boy?” Howard says, and the entire procession grinds to a halt, their voices falling silent. Howard stands in the hallway ahead of them with a floral patterned ice pack pressed to his jaw, which is stiff, his dark eyes smoldering.

“Howard,” Peggy says, a warning in her voice.

“Don’t 'Howard’ me,” he snaps and steps forward, glaring over Steve’s shoulder to where Tony stands. “You. You’re my Anthony?”

Steve can actually hear the sound of Tony swallowing, but before he can work up a reply, Howard’s lip curls.

“Of course, I see it now, you have your mother’s eyes.”

Anger starts to bubble up inside Steve, molten and white hot, at the way Howard looks at Tony. He doesn’t know who this man is, he barely resembles the Howard he’d known and his gloves creak as his fists clench tighter and tighter.

“How could you?” Howard spits. “Goddammit, how _could_ you, you ungrateful little— Shacking up with _Steve?_ Sullying everything he _stands_ for—”

“That’s enough,” Steve says and his voice comes out as little more than a growl.

“Howard,” Peggy says, her voice very hard. “Stop. I’m going to ask you to think _very_ hard about the next words that come out of your mouth, if any.”

He sneers at her. “Stay out of this, my family is none of your goddamned business, Carter.”

“It damned well is too!” Peggy retorts, eyes overbright.

“Master Anthony, _stop_ ,” a voice Steve is unfamiliar with calls, in an accent similar to Peggy and Falsworth’s, and a second later a small boy—six or seven, maybe—barrels into the hallway and skids to a stop at the sight of all of them standing there, his eyes wide. He’s got a riot of dark, messy hair, and enormous dark brown eyes and Steve knows him instantly. He stares, mouth dropped open.

Howard sees him and a vein raises on his forehead, his face turning an apoplectic red. “What the hell are you doing out of bed?” he demands, but six-year-old Tony is staring up at Steve in awe.

“You’re Captain America,” he breathes.

Steve’s heart clenches in his chest and he forces a smile onto his face. “That’s me. And you’re Tony Stark.”

His eyes get even wider.

Then Howard grabs him by the arm, snarling, “ _Bed._ ”

Before Steve can so much as open his mouth, Tony shoves past him. “Don’t _fucking_ touch him!”

Howard steps back, letting go of little Tony’s arm in surprise, fear flickering across his face at the sight of fully grown Tony in the armor stalking towards him, face a black thundercloud. Tony stands between Howard and his younger self and, voice shaking, says, “Don’t you even _think_ about touching him. I put up with you for _years_ because I didn’t know any better, because I thought you were _right_ , that I was no good, that _Steve_ was the best thing you ever did. But you know what? You were wrong. You didn’t make Steve, you had nothing to do with what makes him amazing. _I_ am the best thing you ever made, and the _only_ fucking reason you can say that is because we’re genetically related, you have _nothing_ to do with who I’ve become, with who I am. That’s all thanks to mom, and Jarvis, so _fuck you.”_

He’s shaking by the time he’s finished, his eyes wet and his chin trembling, Howard staring at him like he’s grown a second head. Steve can barely breathe.

Tony turns and looks down at the little boy he’d been and his expression softens into something gentler, desperate and vulnerable. He crouches down and says, “Don’t ever believe what he says about you, okay? Not a word of it. Steve is great, but _so are you,_ you got it?”

He stares up at himself, wide-eyed and then looks down at the armor, his eyes roving over it like he’s never seen something so incredible. He reaches out, very slowly, and runs his hand over the gauntlet, face lighting up with delight when Tony wiggles his fingers. Tony smiles at him, a sad, wobbling thing and Steve’s throat constricts. He wants to hit Howard again, to pay him back for all the years of anguish he’s caused Tony, but it’s not his place.

But god, he’s so proud of Tony for being able to stand up to him, for being able to tell his younger self that he matters, that he’s good, even if he doesn’t always believe it himself.

“Who are you?” little Tony asks, his pudgy fingers now playing along the edge of the helmet where the faceplate has retracted.

Tony swallows, and after a brief pause, says, “I’m Iron Man.”

“Can I be Iron Man when I grow up?”

“Yeah,” Tony rasps, “yeah, you absolutely can.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don’t ask me about repercussions or what the hell’s going on here i have no idea *sweats*


End file.
